War Veterans – A Tête-à-Tête

WAR VETERANS – A TÊTE-À-TÊTE

Fiction Short Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

A tête-à-tête between two War Veterans – Story by Vikram Karve

Two old men – in their 70’s – they sit in the transit area of a famous international airport – waiting for their connecting flights.

The old men look at each other.

They notice that both of them have artificial limbs – prosthetic legs.

“How did you lose your leg…?” one old man asks the other old man.

“In war…” the other old man says.

“Oh – in war – I too lost my leg in war…”

“Really…? So – like me – you too are a “war veteran”…”

“Yes…”

“In which war did you lose your leg…?”

“Long ago – in the “Battle of Two Peaks”…”

“What…? Believe it or not – but – I too lost my leg in the “Battle of Two Peaks”…”

“What a coincidence…!”

“Yes…”

“But – how come I don’t know you…? I know almost everyone who was there…”

“Maybe – we were fighting on opposite sides…”

“Oh. Are you from “XXX” Army…?”

“Yes – I was in “XXX” Army – in that war – we were enemies – our countries were adversaries…”

“But now – our countries have a friendly relationship…”

“Yes – foes became friends – but – we lost our legs…”

“Politicians play jingoistic games – but – it is soldiers who lose their life and limb…”

“Yes – like we lost our limbs…”

“Luckily – we didn’t lose our lives…”

“Yes – it was terrible – the “Battle of Two Peaks” – a bloody battle…”  

“We lost more than 100 men – while capturing “Yellow Peak” from you…”

“We too had heavy casualties – while capturing “Green Peak” from you…”

“It all went waste…”

“Yes – immediately after we had captured each other’s peaks – there was a sudden ceasefire announcement from both sides – an armistice…”

“And then – hostilities between our countries ended – and – the war was over…”

“Then – politicians and diplomats sat across the negotiating table – and they agreed to return each other’s captured territories…”

“So – we returned “Yellow Peak” back to you…” 

“And – we returned “Green Peak” back to you…”

“Everything was back to normal after the war was over – status quo ante – except for one thing – the soldiers who got killed fighting in the war – the dead soldiers – they did not come back to life…”

“Yes – the dead soldiers did not come back to life…”

“And – we lost our legs…”

“Yes – we became “disabled” for life…”

“Maybe – it was you who planted the landmine which blew up my leg to smithereens…”

“And maybe – it was you who fired the shell whose shrapnel shattered my leg…”

“Ha Ha Ha – what an irony – we soldiers destroyed each other – and those wily politicians who made us destroy each other – they remained safe and sound…”

“Yes – politicians start wars – but  – politicians don’t die in wars – it is soldiers who die in wars – or get wounded and disabled for life – like us…”

“I think I will get moving and hobble along to the boarding gate…”

“Where are you going…?”

“San Francisco – my son has settled down there…”

“I am going to Melbourne – my daughter lives there…”

“I still have trouble while walking – do you…?”

“Yes – after all – an artificial leg can’t be as good as a real leg…”

“Every time I walk – with each painful step – I remember the “Battle of Two Peaks”…”

“Me too…” 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.

2. All Stories in this Blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (all rights reserved)